Shades of Blue
by bamboopanda
Summary: A drabble about Naruto and Sasuke's battle at the Valley of the End. A take on why Naruto let Sasuke hit him. Character Death.


**Shades of Blue**

_There is a flash of blue as their two attacks clash, the static chakra of one battling against the swirling depths of the other. Even amidst this chaos, a bird's song soars, filling the heated air of the clearing. It is the ballad to all that is had to be lost, a lament to the fates of the two genin: one to save his friend's life, the other to kill._

_Sad, blue eyes locked with those of intense red, willing the other to stop, willing him to return. But blood is thicker than water, and revenge...revenge and power are oh so sweet._

* * *

'_It's over...All of it. No more pain, no more lies. No more smiling to cover up tears. No more laughing to disguise hurt. And because I failed, there are no more promises...'_

He had never imagined death to be like this. In fact, he had never thought about death. In all his years as a ninja he had never once concerned himself with such thoughts. He had planned to be the best...To surpass all the others and become Hokage. It had never occurred to him that he might not achieve that goal.

Momentarily, he realizes he is floating above the ground for there is no longer the impenetrable black of nothingness surrounding him but rather a blurred forest. As the hazy trees come into focus, the blond recognizes the landscape. It iss his beloved Konoha, seemingly as real as ever. If not for a faint glow and slight transparency he has acquired, he would believe himself alive.

It is raining, the type of shower that the genin had always enjoyed in life. The type that made one feel sad and yet comforted. It was the water pouring from a dark blue sky in a slow, light rainfall that he found calming for it made him feel that at least someone mourned for his cursed life.

Looking down, Naruto witnesses a familiar scene. A clearing of trees that had seconds before been thrown into shadow by their two attacks, now a morbid scene of blood and loss. Below him, ignoring the wet cold of the rain stands a grey haired jonin whose attention is focused wholly upon his student, a mere boy whose body is broken beyond repair. His uncovered eye closes as he attempts to hole back water which threatens to join the moisture already gracing his cheeks.

'_Let Sakura take care of the tears.'_

His dying student lies at his feet, hair painted brown by the mud he lies in. It could be just another death in the life of Hatake Kakashi, but the elite ninja will never be able to forget this moment. This was his student, a boy he had taught, had trained, but mostly a reminder of an old friend, a reminder of a ninja who would never be the man he was expected to become, would never have a family, would never grow old.

Reopening his eye, Kakashi looks over at the pink-hair shinobi whose face is buried in the white vest of a masked Anbu. Her body shakes violently as her tears fall and the Anbu pats her back gently.

It is difficult to lose friends, even those you are not close to. His sigh a visible swirl of white in the cold air, the jonin looks up at the clouded sky looking older and more worn than ever.

'_I never wanted you to die... I never thought you would let yourself go so easily... I didn't want it to end this way…'_

Sakura is glad it was raining. It makes her feel like someone else mourns for her fallen companion. And although she realized that the shinobi she is crying into wears a mask, the pink-haired nin is still comforted by his presence.

She had thought that it would have been easy to let go of him without tears, but she supposes that she actually does care. After all they had been through together, it is necessary that she cares. Thinking of this, memories arise, memories of a time when she hadn't lost her friends. So lost is she in the past, that she doesn't even notice the hug that the Anbu gives her before walking into the middle of the clearing.

Pulling a bloodied katana from the ground, the masked shinobi nods to his superior before kneeling down to look into the dulling eyes of the fallen ninja.

"I'm sorry."

A shaking hand reaches up and pulles the red and white mask from his face.

"No..."

A smile plays across the nukenin's face as his red eyes fade to black.

"Thank you..."

His dimming eyes lock with those of a bright blue sparkling with tears.

"Naruto."

Uzumaki closes his cerulean eyes to the haunting scene of a would-be future...

_

* * *

_

'Not today Sasuke. But I will bring you back someday.'

_An eagle's cry pierces the crisp air of Konoha's blue skies. _


End file.
